Sunday, August 13, 2006

Sengar Is Back

We haven’t seen Sengar in awhile but he came back this week and Marti snuck him in just under the wire. It was great to see him back again but some people may not agree. Sengar added his fourth Holdem Affair victory to his trophy case. At least I know of four. He may have won an afternoon event in the early days. Jennifear put on an excellent battle in the heads up match but it was Sengar all the way. Hyzer22 filled out the money table. Big Lar8 was fourth and Marti (Evil Marti really) was fifth.

Twenty-eight sat down this week to vie for the Holdem Affair title. Jennifear was burning up the tables in the first hour. We saw some new faces as well. Welcome to those of you who have never joined our little group before. This is the oldest invite tournament on UB and we are proud of it.

The first hour break found Jennifear in the captain’s seat. Here is your top ten:
  1. Jennifear = 5100

  2. winforlife = 4035

  3. big lar8 = 3370

  4. hyzer22 = 3115

  5. lisa1433 = 2760

  6. MdnghtSn49 = 2680

  7. My Therapy = 2435 ( good start for a newbie)

  8. VegasSno = 2360

  9. Marti = 2275 (not evil yet)

  10. Sunbob = 2265 (who let him in?)

Jennifear continued her domination in the second hour. Jen has earned her name and all of the regulars know it. When she is on her game there are very few who can challenge her. It was 55 minutes into the second hour when we finally seated the final table. Here are your honored ones (and it is an honor just to make the final table in this event).
  1. Jennifear = 9015

  2. big lar8 = 7905

  3. VegasSno = 5320

  4. hyzer22 = 4800

  5. Sengar = 4425

  6. the Tiburon = 3865 (another newcomer – well done)

  7. winforlife = 2735

  8. Amkaos = 2035

  9. Sunbob = 1375

  10. marti = 525

With the antes 25 and the blinds 150/300 I was pretty short with only 1000 left when I posted the big blind on hand 3. All folded to hyzer22 on the button who raised to 775. SB folded and I pushed on what I thought was a re-steal holding Qs 8s. No way did I expect Hyzer to call but he did and turned over Qc Td. Oops – what have I done? But the flop all but gave me a concussion when it fell 8d 8h 2d. That doubled me up and I was back in the game.

Evil Marti showed her face on hand 5 when she pushed all 400 in, a desperation move for all to see. Jennifear and Tiburon called and checked down the board to show 5d Js Qc Kh Tc. Jennifear had called with 3h 8d and had missed. Tiburon (that’s “shark” in Spanish for those of you who were wondering), showed Qs 2d and had a pair of queens. Marti turned over Ah 8s for the straight and tripled up. Evil Marti was in the game now.

Hand 8, Marti limped UTG and all folded to Tiburon who pushed for 2315. Folds to Marti and she calls for her last 1375 holding Ah 3s. That’s Evil Marti again. How else would she know that would be good? Tiburon turned over Jh 5h. The board ended up 4d Qh 8d 9c 3d and Marti hit a pair of threes – good enough to double up again.

I doubled up on hand 10 when my queens went up against big lar8 holding pocket tens. That 6000 pot put me in third place, right behind Sengar.

The small stacks were winning all of the races and staying alive through hand 24. Then on hand 25 Tiburon was all-in holding Ac Kc against Sengar holding 6s 6h. Another small stack/big stack race. But this time Sengar came out on top when he flopped the 6d for his set and Tiburon was gone in 10th place. That hand also put Sengar into the chip lead.

I was cruising along in 4th place on hand 30 but had only 4150 with the blinds 200/400. Two folds to me and I raised to 1000 holding Ad 8d. I was hoping for the steal but Sengar called in the big blind. When the flop came Ah Kh 9s, Sengar checked. Well, I had the flop I wanted – what more could I ask for? So I pushed. I could hear the trap springing shut when Sengar called and I knew I was dead even before he showed Ac Qc. No miracles for your lowly reporter this time and I was gone in 9th place.

The very next hand VegasSno was desperately short with only 55 chips and was all-in with 6h 5h. Jennifear called with pocket sixes and that was it for VegasSno.

Hand 35 and we have some real action. Winforlife was all-in posting the small blind. Marti limped, Sengar limped and Amkaos was in from the big blind to see the flop come 2s 9c Qs. Amkaos pushed her last 145 into the middle on that flop. Marti and Sengar both called. They both checked down the turn Qh and the river Ks.
marti shows Th Ac.
marti has Th Ac Qs Qh Ks: a pair of queens.
Sengar shows 3s 7s.
Sengar has 3s 7s 2s Qs Ks: flush, king high.
winforlife shows 4s 8d.
winforlife has 8d 9c Qs Qh Ks: a pair of queens.
amkaos shows 9s 3h.
amkaos has 9s 9c Qs Qh Ks: two pair, queens and nines.

Sengar won the big pot and both, Amkaos and Winforlife were eliminated. We were down to five now. And Sengar had a commanding chip lead.

Evil Marti was still in the action and had climbed from a very desperate short stack on hand 1 to a respectable stack by hand 46. But on hand 48 the run ended. Marti had been doubling up when she was short but her luck ran out when her As 8d ran into Hyzer22 with Ks Qs. The flop came Qh 5d Kc and the turn added insult with the Qd. Evil Marti had climbed the ladder but was gone in 5th place.

It was bubble time. We were down to four and paying only three this week. Sengar had 14885, Jennifear 13095, Hyzer 8430 and Big Lar8 had 5590. With the antes 100 and the blinds 400/800, it was anyone’s game really. The bubble lasted until hand 63. Big Lar8 was finally blinded down to 990 and was all-in against both Sengar and Jennifear before the flop. Being the tournament savvy veterans that they are – both Sengar and Jennifear checked down the board to end up Ac Kd 3c 7c Jc. Sengar held As 8s and won the pot but more importantly Big Lar8 was gone on the bubble and the three left were in the money.

Hyzer22 was the short stack but fought hard and managed to survive until hand 73 when he was all-in pre-flop showing Ad 6h against Sengar holding Ah 3d. You made the right move Hyzer but the poker gods weren’t with you on this hand. The flop came 2h 3h Ks and that lowly 3h was the deciding card. Hyzer22 had to settle for 3rd place money and we were heads up between two old foes.

The old-timers had seen this match up before. The last time Jennifear was the victor. But that was a year ago and this time Sengar had the upper hand. Jennifear fought hard and pulled out some very tricky moves but she just couldn’t get any traction to gain ground against Sengar. Hand 85 found Jennifear down to 9405 and Sengar with 32595 in chips. They saw the cheap flop come 5c 2h 7c. Jennifear bet 800 and Sengar just called. The turn brought another 7 and Jennifear bet 1400. Sengar called again. The river Ks was good enough for Jennifear to push the rest of her chips into the middle but Sengar was happy to call. For you see, he held pocket fives – the presto. He had flopped a set and turned the boat. Folks, Sengar loves to trap you. Jennifear was dead.

Great game Sengar and a great fight from Jennifear. That was one of the best final tables in weeks.

Peace.

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